Butter Lettuce Salad with Orange, Hazelnuts, Avocado, and Shallot-Hazelnut Vinaigrette

Name: Butter Lettuce Salad with Orange, Hazelnuts, Avocado, and Shallot-Hazelnut Vinaigrette
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 2 heads butter lettuce, wilted outer leaves discarded; 2 navel oranges, segmented (see Note, page 50); 3 cups 1/2-inch diced ripe avocado (see Note, page 52); About 3 tablespoons Shallot-Hazelnut; Vinaigrette (recipe follows); Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted (see Note, page 54) and crushed; 1 small shallot, minced; 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice; 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup hazelnut oil; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; (makes about 1 cup)

December 9, 2011

Butter lettuce, as its name suggests, is so tender that it melts in the mouth like butter. Also called Boston and Bibb lettuce, butter lettuce should come as a fairly large, loose head with thick leaves and an even green color. I’m not a huge fan of hydroponic lettuce because you end up paying more for less lettuce, which makes no sense to me. Visit your local farmers’ market or quality grocer and look for fresh, crisp leaves that are perky and not wilted. Butter lettuce is a terrific canvas to highlight the complementary flavors of acidic yet sweet orange, silky and dense avocado, and rich, crunchy hazelnuts. Shallot-hazelnut vinaigrette is my go-to multipurpose salad dressing; this recipe makes extra. Be sure to try it on other green salads or even grilled fish.

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